Magnetic games



May 21, 1963 E. M. SIRE MAGNETIC GAMES Filed April 27, 1961 R Y 2% N R \w Ed W Tl K w itii: 9 y w J N @m 3,090,622 MAGNETIC GAMES Edouard lVi'. Sire, 461 6th Ave., New York, NE. Filed Apr. 27, 1951, Ser. No. 104,296 6 Claims. (ill. 273126) This invention relates to magnetic games and more particularly to a game which is played in the manner of billiards while being based upon the principles of the familiar game of tic-tac-toe.

In the conventional game of tic-tac-toe, each player strives to achieve rows or lines of spots or marks. In the instant game, substantially the same objective is sought although mechanical means are employed, requiring more skills to be exercised. For example, a spot or position is accomplished by propelling a marker in the form of a disk or the like toward a mark. Three aligned disks by one player would end the game. However, a serious obstacle is that the propelled disks, if conventional methods were used, would most probably not line up thus giving rise to ambiguity and, at the very least, such haphazardness of position as would render the fame uninteresting and probably generate disputes.

The instant invention solves the above problem by employing magnetic marks which tend to positively line up complementarily magnetized disks or markers. Not only is ambiguity eliminated insofar as lines are concerned, but there is no room for argument as to whether a disk is properly disposed on a spot since the proper disposition is precise and predetermined.

I also provide means for requiring billiard-like carom or bank shots to be employed. This increases the employment of the game and prevents such direct action as would render the game of little skill. Such means are of a nature, however, as not to interfere with as large a range of bank shot positions as is necessary to achieve desired shots.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a game constructed according to the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the one or striker stick.

The game comprises a planar board 18 which may be of wood, plastic, or any other non-magnetic or non-ferrous material. It is provided with side rails 11 which are opposite and parallel, and like end rails 12. Such rails should be of hard wood or any other material which will encourage rebounding of the propelled disks as will hereinafter be explained.

Centrally of the board are three parallel rows of marks or spots 13 each of which comprises a separate magnet embedded in board 10. Board magnets 13 may be of any desired form. In the form shown they are round and are visible on the board surface so that they serve not only as magnets but as marks or spots. The three parallel rows of board magnets jointly assume a squarelike formation of nine marks so as to be of the general appearance of a tic-tac-toe game.

The board also bears a starting position mark 14 (the particular mark shown being in the form of a cross), below which is a starting position magnet 15. As will hereinafter be explained, a disk or marker is initially placed on the starting position mark 14- and shot toward the board magnets. It will be recognized, however, that any direct action should be avoided as otherwise the game would be too easy and uninteresting. Accordingly, a barrier 16 is provided which prevents any direct 3,990,522 Patented May 21, 1963 shot toward the board magnets and makes necessary the use of bank shots. Barrier 16 takes the form of a triangle, the apex of which faces the starting position mark 14, and an opposite side of which faces the square-like formation of board magnets 13.

The game employs three disks or markers 17 for each side, making a total of six. The three disks for each side are preferably of a different color or other identifying means from that of the disks of the opposite side. Each disk may take the general form of a conventional checker as used in checker games, three of the disks being colored red and the other three black, for example.

Disks 17 have embedded therein magnets 18 on the lower face thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 3. Magnets 18 are of disk form with one polar disposition, e.g., north on top and south on the bottom. Magnets 13 are of complementary, actually the same polar disposition, i.e., north at the top and south at the bottom so that the bottom or south pole of the magnet 18 will be attracted to the top or north pole of the magnet 13. Starting magnet 15 will be of the same polar disposition.

The cue or striker stick 20 comprises a retractable head 21 in which is embedded a rod 22 which extends therefrom and has connected at its other end a striking tip 23. Housing 24 has a coil spring 25 therein which normally maintains tip 23 in an outward position. When it is desired to propel a disk, head 21 is manually withdrawn so as to retract tip 23 against the action of spring 25. This cocks the tip 23, the tip 23 then being withdrawn into the housing 24 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The head 21 is then released so as to cause the tip 23 to smartly strike a disk and propel it across the board.

The game is played as follows:

One player will place one of his disks or markers 17 over his starting position 14. Starting position magnet 15 is somewhat below the top surface of board 10, so that it has somewhat less attraction than that of magnets 13. At any rate, it is desirable to employ such magnet 15 so that a player cannot shift his disk into an unauthorized position without such action being evident. In other words, if a disk 17 is shifted from a proper starting position, the magnet 15 will pull it back into place.

The player will then shoot the disk against one of the side rails 11 so as to cause it to rebound therefrom and, if the shot is accurate, to come to rest on a desired board magnet 13 which arrests its motion by magnetic attraction. If he does not succeed, he picks up the disk and returns it to his side of the board. If he does succeed, it remains on the mark or spot represented by the board magnet.

The other player may now shoot a disk in the same manner but from his end of the board. He may aim for achieving a certain spot or may attempt to knock his opponents disk off a board magnet. Referring to FIGURE 2 for example, the player has succeeded in lining up two disks and he is aiming for a third which will represent a complete, although diagonal line and he will thus win the game. If his disk should land on a board magnet which does not produce a straight line, he has the option of taking back any one of his disks so that he may try again when his turn comes.

His opponent may of course try to achieve his own line or he may attempt to knock ofi the disks which the other person has succeeded in landing properly.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the achieved lines are precise and accurate because they are guided by magnets. The markers or disks 17 are of a larger diameter and thus unencompass a larger area than the board magnets 13. This insures that a board magnet may be completely covered so that two disks will not be attracted to the same board magnet.

The triangular barrier 16 is disposed so as to permit a wide range of bank shots since its apex faces the starting position and the sides thereof impose no limit insofar as necessary bank shots are required.

The board may be of any size but it is most conveniently formed of a size to fit on an ordinary table. Thus, in one form thereof the length of the board was 22 /2 while its width was 14 /2". The distance between barriers 15 was about 11 /2". Board magnets 13 were in diameter while disks 16 were 2% in diameter.

There has been shown what is now considered a preferred embodiment of the invention but it is obvious that changes and omissions may be made without departing from its spirit.

What is claimed is:

1. A game comprising a board, opposite and parallel side rails on said board, a plurality of substantially centrally disposed marks on said board totalling nine marks divided into three parallel roWs and jointly assuming a square-like formation, a plurality of markers adapted to be propelled across said board whereby said marks may be caused to be covered by said markers depending upon the skill of the user, a starting position mark on said board, and a barrier disposed directly between said starting position'mark and said square-like formation whereby a marker must be propelled toward and banked ofi said side rails in order to reach said square-like forma-. tion, each of said marks incorporating a fixed magnet all of the same polar disposition, each of said markers being in the form of disks which can be propelled across the board, each disk bearing a permanent magnet, each disk magnet being of such polar disposition relative to that of said mark magnets so as to be attracted thereto and arrested thereby, and stick means for striking and propelling a marker so as to enable it to strike a side rail and rebound therefrom toward said square-like formation and so as to be fixed by one of said marks in a predetermined position by magnetic attraction.

2. A game according to claim 1 and wherein each of said disks encompasses a larger horizontal area than each of said marks so as to completely cover said mark magnets when magnetically engaged therewith.

3. A game according to claim 2 and wherein said B barrier is triangular with one apex thereof pointing toward said starting position mark and a side thereof facing said square-like formation.

4. A game according to claim 3 and including a mag net disposed at said starting position mark, said lastnamed magnet being of a polar disposition identical with said other mark magnets.

5. A magnetic game comprising a board, opposite and parallel side rails on said board, a plurality of substantially centrally disposed marks on said board totalling nine marks divided into three parallel rows and jointly assuming a square-like formation, a plurality of markers in the form of disks adapted to be propelled across said board by being banked off said side rails whereby said marks may be caused to be covered by said disks, means aifording magnetic attraction between said marks and said disks so as to enable said disks to be accurately lined up over said marks, and stick means for striking and propelling said disks, said means afliording magnetic attraction comprising permanent magnets embedded in said board and comprising said marks, said'board embedded'magnets all being of the same polar disposition and fixed in said board, and permanent magnets embedded in said disks and adapted to be attracted to and magnetically engaged and arrested by said board embedded magnets, and all of said board embedded magnets being of the same polar distinction, said disks beingfiat, and

all of the magnets embedded therein being fiat and of the same polar disposition as said board embedded magnets.

p 6. A game according to claim 5 and wherein all of said magnets are of circular disk form with their respective poles at the top and bottom surfaces whereby one pole is uppermost and the other lowermost.

References Qi'ted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 25, 1946 

5. A MAGNETIC GAME COMPRISING A BOARD, OPPOSITE AND PARALLEL SIDE RAILS ON SAID BOARD, A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY DISPOSED MARKS ON SAID BOARD TOTALLING NINE MARKS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARALLEL ROWS AND JOINTLY ASSUMING A SQUARE-LIKE FORMATION, A PLURALITY OF MARKERS IN THE FORM OF DISKS ADAPTED TO BE PROPELLED ACROSS SAID BOARD BY BEING BANKED OFF SAID SIDE RAILS WHEREBY SAID MARKS MAY BE CAUSED TO BE COVERED BY SAID DISKS, MEANS AFFORDING MAGNETIC ATTRACTION BETWEEN SAID MARKS AND SAID DISKS SO AS TO ENABLE SAID DISKS TO BE ACCURATELY LINED UP OVER SAID MARKS, AND STICK MEANS FOR STRIKING AND PROPELLING SAID DISKS, SAID MEANS AFFORDING MAGNETIC ATTRACTION COMPRISING PERMANENT MAGNETS EMBEDDED IN SAID BOARD AND COMPRISING SAID MARKS, SAID BOARD EMBEDDED MAGNETS ALL BEING OF THE SAME POLAR DISPOSITION AND FIXED IN SAID BOARD, AND PERMANENT MAGNETS EMBEDDED IN SAID DISKS AND ADAPTED TO BE ATTRACTED TO AND MAGNETICALLY ENGAGED AND ARRESTED BY SAID BOARD EMBEDDED MAGNETS, AND ALL OF SAID BOARD EMBEDDED MAGNETS BEING OF THE SAME POLAR DISTINCTION, SAID DISKS BEING FLAT, AND ALL OF THE MAGNETS EMBEDDED THEREIN BEING FLAT, AND OF THE SAME POLAR DISPOSITION AS SAID BOARD EMBEDDED MAGNETS. 